Identified! NV - Churchill Co, Hwy 95 MM 55, UncFem 26-70, UP8110, partial skeletal, orange halter top, May'08 - Betty Lou Japel

[Romulus]

NamUs UP 8110

https://www.identifyus.org/en/cases/8110

Unidentified Body/Remains (Female)

Found May 19, 2008 in Churchill County, NV
Body Condition: Not recognizable-Partial skeletal parts only

Probable year of death: to 2008


Vital Statistics
Estimated age: 26-70
Approximate Height: cannot estimate
Approximate Weight: cannot estimate
Hair Color: Unknown
Eye Color: Unknown
Scars and marks: nothing

Clothing & Accessories
Clothing: Orange halter top
Jewerly: nothing
Footwear: nothing
Accessories: nothing

Identifiers
Fingerprints: Fingerprint information is not available
Dentals: Dental information / charting is not available
DNA: Sample submitted-tests not complete

Case History: On 05/19/2008 at approximately 1300 hours, a passerby discovered skeletal fragments partially covered with dirt and gravel in a remote area of Churchill County, Nevada near US HWY 95 near mile marker 55. Law enforcement personnel excavated the shallow dirt grave recovering numerous skeletal fragments along with an orange halter top.

 

[Dr.Strangelove]

Odd that with only partial skeletal parts they gave the year of death as specifically 2008

 

[Romulus]

Bump!

 

[heartanium]

22 May 2008, The Reno Gazette-Journal, pg 4

 

[heartanium]

I'm wondering if this could be Paige Rochell Lawrence (MP23630), the estimated year of death would be way off but I'm not sure how accurate it is in the first place.

D.L.C: February 12, 1986
Missing from: Sacramento, CA (~3 hr 15 min drive to Churchill County)
Clothing: last seen wearing black pants, orange shirt, athletic shoes

There's also Linda H Peterson (MP1380)

D.L.C: September 16, 1978
Missing from: Murray, Utah (7 hr drive)
Clothing: ORANGE MATERNITY TOP, BLUE JEANS

Again, D.L.C is way off from the estimated year of death, and she was also pregnant, but the torso for this UP wasn't recovered so I'm not sure if they could make that determination.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Churchill County Jane Doe (2008) is now Identified

Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner’s Office Teams with Othram to Identify 2008 Homicide Victim

dnasolves.com

Looks like this case was just solved with the help of Othram.
Condolences to her family and friends.

 

[victoriarobinson642]

Churchill County Jane Doe (2008) is now Identified

Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner’s Office Teams with Othram to Identify 2008 Homicide Victim

dnasolves.com

Looks like this case was just solved with the help of Othram.
Condolences to her family and friends.

The woman is now identified as Betty Lou Japel. Japel was 70 years old at the time of her death. Betty Lou Japel was last heard from in 2006 after going missing while traveling with her partner, Kenneth Miller. In June 2007, Miller's body was found in a grave near the site of where their abandoned motor home was located in Oregon. Betty Lou Japel was never heard from or seen again. Ms. Japel’s next of kin has been notified and is now able to claim her remains.
She and her boyfriend of 30 years were RVers who befriended someone along the way. Their friend, a felon, got into a shootout with police and shortly after, the boyfriend's body was found near an RV park where they'd camped, but there was no sign of the woman (Betty Lou). After the shootout, the friend committed suicide and was found in the desert near Mexico. It's believed (assumed?) that the friend killed the man and woman.